Indonesia-Korea collaborative platform to empower farmers

A business collaboration platform that will bridge 62 million Indonesian farmers to Korean scientists and global investors has been launched to support them in garnering cutting-edge skills like meta farming and carbon trading, as the two countries work to champion sustainability in the digital economy.

The Green Digital Economy Platform (GDEP), spearheaded by HumanX, a global partnership promoting human-centered technology, was officially unveiled on Friday under the endorsement of Indonesia's Presidential Chief of Staff Dr. Moeldoko.

The platform will serve an arena where Korean technology meets with Indonesia's youthful energy and abundant resources, and cross economy and technology meet with agriculture, Moeldoko said during a launch event for the platform held at the headquarters of The Korea Herald in Seoul, Friday.

"Through the GDEP, we aim to empower 62 million Indonesian farmers with AI and digital transformation, positioning Indonesia as a global leader in agritech innovation,” he said. The Korea Herald was the media partner for the event.

This launch follows the 24th ASEAN-Republic of Korea Summit held on Sept. 6, during which the region's leaders made an agreement to promote green and digital economy, science, technology, and innovation, and carbon neutrality in the region.

The GDEP is a business collaboration platform that aligns digital economy and sustainability by pioneering the "cross economy" model, extending beyond the traditional "circular economy" framework.

By leveraging Korea's technological advancements, Indonesia's vast market and resources, and global R&D and investment, the GDEP is poised to drive transformative digital innovations across agritech, climate-tech, and carbon trading. The multifaceted impacts on the digital economy and sustainability will be monitored through the Digital-ESG Index, led by the Taskforce on Digital-Related Financial Disclosure.

Park Yu-hyun, the founder of HumanX and DQ Institute, exemplified turning pollen from trees in Indonesia into bioplastic products using Korean technology through the platform. Such practice will create new economic opportunities and sustainability impact.

"Our objective is to establish an innovative collaboration platform that empowers Indonesian farmers to experience significant threefold economic benefits by integrating digitalization and engagement in carbon trading, thus substantially broadening their sources of income,” she said.

Moeldoko said combining green and digital drive will hold boundless potential in Indonesia, where 50 percent of the population is under the age of 30, and around 60 percent -- some 167 million -- are on social media, as of January.

The platform also aims to foster an environment where both Indonesian and Korean small and medium-sized companies and startups can thrive, potentially attaining "unicorn" status -- unlisted startups with at least $1 billion in valuation. This goal will be realized with technology R&D, intellectual property, and expertise from leading Korean and international universities and companies, coupled with foreign investments and government support.

“Leveraging the Digital-ESG Standards, the GDEP will implement a framework for carbon offsets valuation and carbon trading. This strategy is designed to ensure that stakeholders derive extended benefits from their carbon trading efforts,” Park said.

The launch of the GDEF also comes as Korea and Indonesia mark their 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties.

“Indonesia is an important strategic partner of Korea. As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of diplomatic partnership, both countries need to forge concrete economic collaborations to collectively pursue carbon neutrality and digital innovation, bolstering the green economy. Hence, this collaboration holds significant meaning,” said Kim Sang-Hyup, the chairperson of the Presidential Commission on Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth, who co-chairs it with Prime Minister Han Duck-Soo.

North Kalimantan, Indonesia, has been designated as the platform's testing ground, playing a crucial role as a national and global hub for knowledge dissemination. Through the GDEP, farmers will receive digital literacy and digital skill training while gaining access to cutting-edge practices and technologies, including meta-farming.

“This platform will serve as a good vehicle for the new era of collaboration between the two nations. And our two nations will prosper together,” Moeldoko said.